Connections: Soccer Edition hints & answers: Thursday, July 9, 2026

Updated: Thursday, July 9, 2026 · Hints reviewed by Omer Liban · New puzzle daily — free from The Athletic. · Puzzle editor: Will Jeanes.

This page has every level of help for the Connections: Soccer Edition puzzle of Thursday, July 9, 2026: 3 spoiler-free hint tiers that narrow things down step by step, followed by the complete answers with explanations — each behind its own tap-to-reveal card.

Stuck on today's Soccer Edition? Work the tiers below exactly like regular Connections — one answer per group, then the themes, then the full explained solution — revealing only what you choose. (Yes, it's the football one — 'soccer' is just the branding.)

Connections: Soccer Edition is The Athletic's football version of Connections — four colour-coded groups from easiest 🟡 yellow to trickiest 🟣 purple, all about the beautiful game: players, clubs, competitions, moments. Free to play.

Soccer Connections hints (July 9, 2026)

1One answer from each group

Yellow (easiest): one of its answers is “RUN”.
Green (easy): one of its answers is “BAGGIO”.
Blue (tricky): one of its answers is “TAKER”.
Purple (trickiest, usually wordplay): one of its answers is “HALF”.

2Category hints (no answers)

Yellow (easiest): the theme is “Off-the-ball movement”.
Green (easy): the theme is “Missed in a world cup penalty shootout”.
Blue (tricky): the theme is “Associated with a penalty shootout”.
Purple (trickiest, usually wordplay): the theme is “_____ time”.

3One full group revealed

Yellow (easiest) — the connection is “Off-the-ball movement”, and its four answers are: RUN, WALK, PRESS, JOG.

Soccer Connections answers — July 9, 2026

★Today's full Soccer Connections answers, explained

Yellow (easiest) — the connection is “Off-the-ball movement”. The answers: RUN, WALK, PRESS, JOG.
Green (easy) — the connection is “Missed in a world cup penalty shootout”. The answers: BAGGIO, HAVERTZ, SIX, WADDLE.
Blue (tricky) — the connection is “Associated with a penalty shootout”. The answers: TAKER, SUDDEN DEATH, CENTER-CIRCLE, GOALKEEPER.
Purple (trickiest, usually wordplay) — the connection is “_____ time”. The answers: HALF, FULL, EXTRA, ADDED.

Next in today's routine: Today's Puzzle Answers → · every game's answers on one page. New puzzle daily — free from The Athletic. Bookmark this page for tomorrow's hints. Or play Soccer Connections on the official site.

More of today's puzzles

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Soccer Connections — common questions

What is Connections: Soccer Edition?

The Athletic's football version of Connections, launched in June 2026: sixteen answers, four hidden groups, all of it football — players, clubs, competitions, kits, iconic moments. Free to play, and separate from the sports edition.

Is Soccer Connections about football?

Yes — 'soccer' is the branding of The Athletic's US newsroom, but the puzzles are thoroughly football: Champions League history, World Cup winners, grounds and managers all feature.

What do the colours mean in Soccer Connections?

Same as every Connections: yellow is the easiest group, then green, then blue, and purple the trickiest — typically wordplay or a link designed to catch fans out.

Previous Soccer Connections puzzles

Full Soccer Connections archive (109 puzzles) → · How to play Connections: Soccer Edition →